Client Testimonials

While we found our house with a realtor, as former Ward Design clients, we would not make an offer until Rodney Ward went through it several times. Rodney said our house had one big issue. He explained that a house should be like a beautiful woman who has one special feature that stands out, makes her lovely, and unique. For this home, the passage of time had masked such a feature. Rodney found that feature and added others. Now, we are joyful as we are constantly told that “her” before and after “makeover” is amazing. Whew!

This story just captures Rodney. He sees things others do not. He makes the ordinary, extraordinary. When Rodney rolls out your plans across the table for the first time, you can’t imagine the rush when you see that he has incorporated your list of wishes and then created a vision far beyond what you expected. As professionals, we have worked with many service providers. We have never worked with anyone who provides the level of service that Rodney and his team do. You feel that he always has your back. In a big project, that is a huge relief. In addition, Rodney made it so much fun! Face it. Renovating a house is a significant commitment. Having fun turned our project into a life memory to be treasured.

We were fortunate to have Laura Ward working alongside Rodney on our project. In addition to helping with the interior design needs, she was invaluable in choosing our exterior paint colors and lighting, all our hardware, helping Rodney with details in our kitchen cabinet design and on and on…. She has one of the best eyes for color we have ever seen. Thanks Laura! Matt Sprague was great in supporting Rodney answering questions, explaining plan details, and just being there when we needed him.

As many acknowledge, Rodney Ward has left an architectural stamp on our communities. We are so proud to live in a Rodney Ward house. And now he is designing a renovation for one of our children. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

-George and Page Littlewood

Choosing Ward Design Group for our renovation was the best decision we ever made. Rodney has an artist’s eye, an architect’s attention to detail and a builder’s know-how. No one else would have had the vision or the imagination to transform our classic Cape Cod into the warm, light-filled space that he created. Every time we drive down the driveway, we are struck by how much we love it. It is almost worth buying another house just to have the chance to work with him again!

- Kirk and Leslie Kirkland

The Ward Design Group transformed our cookie cutter, ordinary, and “never look twice” ranch house into a one of a kind dream home full of architectural detail and curb appeal. They were extremely creative, professional, personable, constantly on site, always available and reachable, and meticulous. They listened and heard, and incorporated our ideas with their magic to totally makeover our home visually as well as to fit our family's needs. We have used Rodney Ward and his team three times and we no longer make a move without them!

- Doug and Elizabeth Townsend

Building a home can be stressful, renovating a home to the magnitude of our project can be beyond stressful! Fortunately the 2 .5 year process was truly enjoyable. We attribute this to Rodney's leadership from beginning to end, from the initial drawings to his guidance on selecting the builder, to the final walk through. We were amazed at the level of detail Rodney put into our project - accessibility, time on site and design meetings. Rodney's design sense is classic, creative and immense in detail. If we build or renovate again, no matter the location (US or abroad) we would only use Rodney - there would be no question.

- Dave and Faye Woolf

We could not have made a better choice than to use Ward Design Group for our house plans and interior design consultation. We were fairly clueless when we started the building process, and we relied heavily on their expertise and great taste. We truly would not have been able to do it without their endless hand-holding and guidance! From the first moment we met with Rodney all the way through the duration of a lengthy construction period, Ward Design Group was always professional, available, prompt, and receptive to our thoughts and needs. It was a fabulous experience for us, and we are grateful to have had such a talented team to help us with this endeavor.

- Jimmy and Anna Goodmon

Over the past three decades, we have built and renovated a number of homes. In our opinion, Rodney and Laura Ward are in a league of their own. We quickly came to trust and rely upon their knowledge of construction, design and style. Their attention to detail is amazing and has made every room in our house special. Almost makes us want to do it again!!

- Bruce and Ira Mueller

Working with Ward Design Group on my renovation proved to be the perfect choice! Rodney & his team of Laura Ward & Matt Sprague were able to bring the experience & expertise to the table to bring the house to a level I would have never dreamed was possible. Rodney’s experience previously building houses is an enormous asset to the overall process. His talent stretches across the design to the choice of contractors & suppliers which is so beneficial with such an overwhelming process. His knowledge & exquisite taste with the finishing trim is vast & unique to any I have ever seen. Do not short change your trim budget; it is one of the elements that sets my house apart & give it such polish. Trust me! Rodney is a master with the trim finishes! My home has such panache & incorporates my personality making it such a joy to come home to all thanks to Ward Design Group!

-Paige Ward

Working with Rodney and Laura Ward and the Ward Design Group was a wonderful experience, starting with design and concept meetings for a major addition to our home, through completion of the entire project. They monitored each aspect of the construction, spent as much time with us as needed to ensure our satisfaction, and confirmed that the finished product met our expectations. Their work is of the highest quality. We recommend them without reservation and would certainly work with them again in the future.

- Debara Tucci and Kevan VanLandingham

There are a few characteristics that are essential to look for in selecting a team to assist in a major renovation, and Ward Design Group excels in all of them:

Vision. Rodney assisted me in viewing properties that might be renovated to suit my needs. Where I saw a hopeless clutter of small rooms, Rodney was able to see the large, light-filled, easy-flowing space I now treasure, and what’s more he knew how to make that vision a reality.

Creativity. Both Rodney and Laura were able to suggest countless small and large touches that solved problems, improved functionality and gave my home its unique character.

A good ear. Everyone knows a designer needs a good eye, but perhaps more critical is a good ear — the Ward Group listened carefully to my wants, needs, preferences, limitations, budget . . . in short, they “got” me, and my home reflects my taste and personality as well as theirs.

Attention to detail. Since moving into my home, I have come to realize that I was seeing only the tip of the iceberg during the design process. The intricate, careful planning that went into every aspect of my three-dimensional space is the gift that keeps on giving: small details that are typically overlooked by most designers and builders provide a sense of symmetry, order and beauty that I could not possibly have imagined.

Warmth. After spending an arduous 18 months in planning and construction, I can still say that Rodney, Laura and Matt remain some of my favorite people. Now that’s a testimonial!

From beginning to end — and beyond — working with Ward Design Group has been a real pleasure! -Jean Adams

We were thrilled with Ward Design Group's performance for our home renovation. Rodney was a complete professional and guided us through every step of the process. Matt has also been great. Laura is a design expert and made our home into a showplace. The difference with Ward Design Group is their dedication and continued interest in your project and home, even after the renovation is complete. We would definitely work with them again.

-AA

The ability of Ward Design Group to see a space and visualize the outcome is simply amazing. They are able to take your wishes as a client and beautifully fit it into your space. One of our biggest challenges on our most recent project was adding a second story bonus room to a one story house without making it stick out like a sore thumb and the result was perfect. We have used Rodney and his team three times now in two different homes - they are the best!

-Jimbo and Emmy Huckabee

Builder Testimonials

McLean Building Company has enjoyed a long, happy relationship with Ward Design Group. We have collaborated on three incredible projects over the last seven years. All three have been extraordinarily detailed custom houses for exacting clients. Each project is a work of art, which we are all proud to have built.

Ward Design’s aesthetic sense, attention to detail and response to our questions have all been excellent. Their depth of actual construction experience makes their designs and drawings unique and eminently buildable for the construction team.

We highly recommend them to any client who wants a unique, beautiful home.

Sincerely,- Cheryl Davis, McLean Builders

Our experiences with Ward Design Group have been a complete pleasure. The entire staff has proven helpful from the design phase through to the completion of the project. Their attention to detail is second to none, and their insight and creative problem solving have proven invaluable. In the past we have worked hand in hand to produce results that all parties involved were more than proud of, and would be delighted to work together more in the future.

- Biff Hardison, Chase Building Company

For over 30 years I have been a Custom Home Builder in Northern Michigan, starting my company with two others and working our way up to over 50 year-round employees. During that time I have built and remodeled many beautiful homes in Northern Michigan and worked with a large number of architects from Michigan and all over the United States. We have had homes featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Builder Magazine, Remodeling Magazine, Traverse and many other publications. We have won many awards for service, attention to detail, high-end workmanship and so on, for which we are very thankful and appreciative, but one of the most rewarding projects we built was the Berlacher Home in Glen Arbor.

I had known the Berlachers for over 20 years having built the first house they owned in Glen Arbor, when they came to me and said they wanted to build a new, larger home being designed by an out state architect (Rodney Ward) and showed me design and layout. The house was beautiful from the very beginning and I fell in love with it. Everyone even builders have their own style that they are attracted to, and this house had it all.

Rodney is one of the most talented, gifted and hardworking architects that I have ever met. He is a pleasure to work with, he knows what he wants but he listens to others and can incorporate into the drawings what he has heard, senses and feels from the client, the contractor and the tradesmen in the field. To those of you not in this industry, this is a rare and wonderful trait. It helps complete the bridge or jump the gap between vision and actuality so the final effort is a combination that you can feel as well as see. There is only one other architect that I have ever worked with that can do what Rodney can do. It was a wonderful experience for all of us to work with The Ward Design Group and a rare privilege for me to work with Rodney directly. It is for these reasons as well as many others that I would highly recommend The Ward Design Group to anyone looking for a partnership with someone not only to design a structure but who can design a home that fits into its setting that has a feel and character that is warm and comforting, something to cherish and to pass on, a lifestyle . Ward Design will be an asset to you and to your team, if you have a chance, don’t pass up the experience.Sincerely and Best Wishes,

Paul MaurerPresident, Paul Maurer General Contracting Inc.

Vendor Testimonials

Having worked with Laura Ward of Ward Design Group on numerous projects, I am very impressed by her professionalism with Byrd Tile as a vendor, and her professionalism with her clients. She truly understands their needs and designs a beautiful interior space that satisfies their style, budget, and all job requirements. It is a pleasure working with Laura.

-Diana Koehn, Byrd Tile Distributors

Whenever we start a project with the Ward Design Group we know the work will be demanding but we also know it will be something to be proud of. Ward Design has a rare gift for the subtle essentials of design-rhythm, weight, balance, proportion. Much careful consideration goes into the smallest details, and to how those details contribute to a harmonious whole. This precision is reflected in the drawings they generate—they are so thorough we have times sent them to our woodworking shop without additional elaboration. Those who are familiar with the construction process will know how remarkable that is.